Andy Carroll celebrated a triumphant return to the North-East to push old enemies Sunderland deeper into relegation trouble.

It took the former Newcastle striker just nine minutes to silence the Stadium of Light jeers and send West Ham on their way to a victory which leaves them on the verge of securing a further season in the top flight.

Mark Noble swung in a corner and Carroll rose high above the static Black Cats defence to thump an unstoppable header into the roof of the net.

Sunderland should have been back on level terms a couple of minutes later but the unmarked Lee Cattermole fired straight at Adrian in the Hammers goal, then blazed the rebound hopelessly wide.

The East-Enders increased their lead when Mohamed Diame drilled in a deflected shot five minutes into the second half and should have gone further ahead but Stewart Downing arrowed his finish wide when clean through.

Substitute Adam Johnson curled a left-foot shot into the corner to reduce the deficit and give the Black Cats hope but Connor Wickham could not turn in the rebound after Adrian spilled Ki Sung-Yueng’s drive.